


A Little Closer To Home

by ThePrimeOne



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Birthday Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Happy Birthday Petra Macneary, Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:48:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26384416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePrimeOne/pseuds/ThePrimeOne
Summary: She stared at it wide-eyed with curiosity, then spotted a small hook to open up the box, complete with a sliding cover. With anticipation building up to a breaking point, Petra opened it slowly and her eyes finally laid on what her present was.And Petra almost dropped it out of sheer shock.In which Ashe gets Petra a birthday gift that backfires on him, but also doesn't.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Petra Macneary
Comments: 7
Kudos: 52





	A Little Closer To Home

Petra had noticed the bag the moment Ashe arrived to take her into town. After all, it wasn't often that Ashe brought much with him besides a dagger and some money. She thought perhaps he wanted to give it to someone or exchange it with a merchant at the town's market stalls, but when they had already arrived back at Garreg Mach, and he still kept it in his possession, she couldn't figure out why for the life of her, that Ashe was carrying that box.

"Ashe, I must be thanking you again for showing me the commoner techniques again! I am enjoying our time together when we are bartering greatly," Petra beamed at Ashe, having already skipped ahead of him.

Ashe smiled back. "Well, I'm glad you think so, Petra. You're getting quite good at bartering; it's kind of impressive."

"You have my gratitude, Ashe, but I was only improving because of your help," Petra turned back and bowed, her hand on her heart as she felt warmth rise in her chest. His sincerity was always a welcome fresh air to her, though Petra genuinely didn't understand why. The Black Eagles in many instances had acted much the same way and yet…

Petra cleared her throat to catch Ashe's attention and think about  _ something _ else. "Ashe, you have been carrying that bag with you all this time. Is there something you need to be delivering?"

His grip on the bag in question tightened, Petra noticed immediately. "Oh, right, this bag." Ashe licked his lips out of nervous habit. "I've meant to give this to a certain someone for a little while now, actually."

"I have understanding. But is there trouble? You are sounding like you are afraid to give this item of mystery." She craned her head to the side to get a better look of the bag at his side.

"If I'm honest, I am. I wanted to wait for the right time, but now I think..." He rummaged through the bag and pulled out a box wrapped in red paper that reminded Petra of her own hair colour. 

Ashe sheepishly smiled and extended the item in his bag towards his friend. "Well, since we're back here at Garreg Mach, it's better now than never, right?" 

Petra stared at the package that thrust out before her. "This is… for me?" She carefully raised her hands up and took it from his hands. She seemed quite surprised at its weight.

"Um, yeah, it's for you," Ashe stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "I heard it's your birthday tomorrow, and so I thought I'd get something for you. It's not much, but I hope you'll like it anyway."

Brigid's Princess gaped at the gift. "Ashe… you have my gratitude, but you were not needing to be getting me a present. Just spending time with you is being enough."

"Well, that wouldn't be the first time someone's told me that. The present part I mean," Ashe stared at his feet sheepishly when he clarified his statement. "It's just something I like to do for my friends. Which was why I was hesitant to give it to you earlier."

Petra looked at him curiously, then began to piece together what he was implying. 

_ "We're friends, aren't we? Friends don't pay each other for the time they spend together." _

_ "You and I are… friends? Are you speaking truth? _

_ "I hope so at least! So why don't we just talk about whatever we'd like, OK?" _

Petra hummed when she connected the dots. "I have understanding. You are thinking it would be strange to be giving a present because I did not think you a friend?" Such a conclusion was one she could understand. She was under the impression Ashe felt the same way about her.

Ashe weakly smiled. "Something like that, yes." 

She clutched her hands around the present. "Ashe, please have understanding. I was not thinking of you as a friend because I did not think I was paying you back for the commoner techniques you are teaching me. But now I know that we are friends, so please do not feel strange for this present."

Ashe breathed a deep sigh of relief. "Oh! That's great then, Petra."

She looked to her right, as Ashe stared at the monastery. Though she could not speak or understand some of the nuances of parts of Fodlan's language, she understood the emotions that lingered on his face.

"Ashe," she called out to him, her friend's head turned its undivided attention to her. "If it is making you feel better, then I know past me would be appreciating… no, appreciative of it too."

Ashe looked away, flustered, but now a little more sure of himself. "Oh. Well, you certainly know how to make me feel better about this then, Petra. I appreciate that."

She wondered if he had more to say, but d duo climbed the hill towards Garreg Mach's gate in comfortable silence. Slowly pushing their way through the crowds at the monastery's marketplace and entering the main hall, the two stopped on a dime and faced each other.

"Where are you going now, Ashe?"

"Oh? Me? Well, it's gotten close to sunset already, so I'm not exactly sure, besides heading back to my room. I assume you'll be doing the same?" 

"Yes, I am," she confirmed and looked down at her present. "I am having much interest in this, after all."

Ashe stepped back away from her and towards the dining hall, unable to avoid the awkward air that hung between them. "Well, uh, can I walk you to your room? Since it's on the way and all."

Petra nodded and held the box closer to her. She quickly marched to his side, and walked in silence together until they reached her room, stopped just outside Petra's door. 

"I am enjoying seeing your life as a commoner, like the delicious dishes with infinite variety, Ashe, it is being quite eye-opening. I have gratitude for that as well," Petra thanked him again. She did enjoy her outing, but she never felt as if she could thank him enough, even despite his reassurances that he didn't need it.

Ashe shook his head. "Not a problem, I like showing you around. It's nice to know you've taken such an interest, Petra. Maybe you could tell me about Brigid some time? Maybe you could teach me how to speak your language too? O-only if you're OK with, I mean."

Petra felt her eyes light up, and she swore her breath stopped for a moment. "Ashe… are you sure you would be wanting that?"

"Of course," Ashe nodded, his soft smile making an unfamiliar feeling rise within her chest. You haven't told me much about it, you know. I can tell you miss your home when you can talk about it, so maybe if you had someone you could communicate in your language with, you could, I don't know... feel like your home's a little bit closer? If you get what I mean?" Ashe shrugged and rubbed the back of his head. "Ah, I don't know how to explain it."

Petra had to try her hardest to hold back from giving Ashe an impromptu embrace. He was so kind and considerate of others to a fault, something Petra admired a great deal. She hugged her present instead. 

"Ashe..." she began, suddenly unsure of what to say. "You are not knowing what it is meaning to me when you are saying that. I gladly accept the idea you are proposing, but I have a condition."

She held up the present. "Since it is not curfew yet, I am wishing for you to stay with me when I open my present. I wish to know many things about this."

Ashe's face went a little red. "Oh. Well, I suppose I can do that."

"Wonderful!" Petra grinned, leading the way into her room. Petra took a seat near her bed's pillows and motioned for Ashe to sit across from him. She could tell he was nervous being in a girl's room, despite all their rooms being mostly the same. She found it rather endearing.

Petra placed the heft package on the bed in the space between them and cleared her throat when she saw Ashe's curious gaze glued to the floor where her own rug from Brigid strewn on the ground.

"Ah, I was not finding time to be cleaning my room much," she cleared her throat. "Please be having my apologies if you are finding mess."

Ashe's head quickly looked to her. "Mess?" Ashe chuckled. "Petra, my room is still quite a bit messier than yours. You maintain it better than mine."

She wasn't so sure, but she thanked him with a grateful smile.

Petra glanced back down to the pack and wondered what could be inside. Even with the package in her hands again, she found it hard to believe she was presented with an early birthday present, especially from someone outside the Black Eagles house, knowing they would extend the same kindness to her.

Such moments were seldom had when she lived in Enbarr.

Petra cast aside memories she rather remained forgotten. She carefully tore the paper apart and set the ripped pieces aside on her bed. The expression on her face turned from curious to confused when she met with a wooden box, complete with a shiny veneer finish and fancy text on it;  _ Brigidan  _ text of the name of a group of blacksmiths that were considered the best in her country.

She stared at it wide-eyed with curiosity, then spotted a small hook to open up the box, complete with a sliding cover. With anticipation building up to a breaking point, Petra opened it slowly and her eyes finally laid on what her present was.

And Petra almost dropped it out of sheer shock. 

Her face filled with red and her mouth dried as she silently reached her hands down into the box, and pulled it out her present from the box. It was a new hunting knife. One given to her by Ashe Ubert, her mind told her over and over again.

She stared down at the handle and sheath shining even with the lantern softly lighting the room around her. Running a hand over the handle's familiar red and silver engravings it bore that continued into the knife's sheath, she grasped it tightly, pulling it back. The slightly curved blade that emerged from it had a level of polish not unlike the breastplates in the armoury after maintenance, and a class of craftsmanship few weapons were privileged to have.

The reflection of her flushed red face in the knife staring back at her ever so clearly finally confirmed that she wasn't dreaming.

Aside from practical use, the knife itself was one used for certain ceremonies in Brigid. The literal weight and symbolic significance of the blade made her hands shake. It was nothing short of a genuine article- nothing like the replicas or fakes sold at Enbarr's markets.

Her mind wandered to the young boy who gave her the present.

Ashe was kind and earnest above all else. He had been nothing but kind and compassionate with her, and someone she grew trust beyond just a classmate, long before she began to contemplate moving to the Blue Lions House. It was only natural that Ashe would buy a friend a present for their birthday, Petra had told herself. A simple act of kindness that he'd done for others within and out of his own house he deemed a friend.

But this... this was  _ different _ . Perhaps not to Ashe, but the severity of his simple present only had begun to settle in.

Sliding the blade back into its sheath, she mentally chastised herself, knowing better than to react in such a way. He was but a boy from Fodlan, ignorant of the ways of Brigid not unlike she was unaware of many things in Fodlan.

And yet she wondered if maybe…

She shook her head, dispelling such thoughts.  _ No. Of course not _ , she said to no one but herself.

"D-do you like it?" Ashe asked nervously, having watched on with an unsure expression.

"Ashe, I…" Petra spoke, her head moved her gaze to meet his. "I am very appreciative of it," she nodded. Ashe frowned.

"A-are you sure? You don't sound like it."

_ No! I do! I love it! _ She wanted to exclaim to him, but the words died on the tip of her tongue. 

Petra steadied herself. "Ashe. Where were you getting this dagger from? And why?"

"Oh." Ashe blinked, thinking for a moment. "You remember Anna, the redhead merchant, right? I was out shopping with Sylvain for the Professor, and I wanted to find something to give to you as a present. So when Sylvain found it and told me the story of His Highness giving a girl he liked a dagger. He suggested I do something similar for you, and so I bought it with a little help from Sylvain."

Petra's eyes widened when he paused upon hearing his own words "As a friend! As a friend," a flushed Ashe exclaimed and repeated for emphasis. "I knew you like to go hunting, so when I found out this was from Brigid, I bought it for you because I knew you missed your home and… um, yeah. Here we are," Ashe finished awkwardly.

"So you are not getting for another reason?" she asked carefully. She watched Ashe's reaction suspiciously, but the boy just blinked, confused.

"Yes?" he nodded again. "I just thought you'd like that as a present, is all."

Petra looked down at the dagger again. "Ashe. You are wanting to know about Brigid, yes? May I tell you something?"

"Sure," Ashe nodded, even if a little confused. "I'd love to, Petra."

Petra made herself comfortable and tuned out the beating of her heart when she looked at him again. "In Fodlan, when two people are wanting to marry, they are doing the giving of rings, yes?"

Ashe listened intently and silently nodded.

"In Brigid, it is different. While in Brigid vows are being also shared like Fodlan, the couple that is marrying…" Petra trailed off and cleared her throat and glanced down at her present. "They are exchanging other items of their choice. This dagger is being one of those items."

Silence hung in the air, and Petra dare not look up until Ashe muttered words that made her heart thunder.

"Oh Goddess," Ashe spoke, his voice nothing short of shocked. Petra found the strength within her to look up at him, and his face was beet red from his cheeks to the tips of his ears. "P-Petra, I didn't mean it like that, I didn't know- oh no…" Ashe groaned, hiding his embarrassed face away from her.

Petra would have found it adorable, had he not accidentally just proposed to her.

She licked her slightly chapped lips that quivered under the pressure of her room's atmosphere. Petra fiddled with the box and slid the lid back on and locked in in place.

Ashe clasped his hands together and stared at the floor. "Petra, again I'm so sorry, I didn't know," he insisted. He breathed in and looked at her in the eye. "W-would you like for me to get you something else? I know Anna doesn't do refunds, but I'm sure I can figure out something better for the occasion."

Petra saw Ashe began to speak again after a brief pause. She moved over and silenced him with a single finger pressed against his lips. "Ashe," she said, her tone deathly serious and her mouth pressed into a thin stern line, despite being betrayed by the depth of the blush on her face.

"You are not needing to be doing that," she shook her head and moved her finger off his lips. "I am wanting to be keeping this. Even though I know of your intentions, it has much meaning to me, even if you do not know such things about Brigid."

"Oh. OK. That's a relief then," Ashe said, Petra noticing his left hand gripped his right arm nervously. "So, I guess we can just forget about this and move on?"

"No," she said bluntly.

Ashe looked at her incredulously.

"While I am not accepting of this present as a proposal, I am accepting it as a friend and…" Petra trailed off, 

"And?" Ashe questioned her, his eyes alight with something.

"And maybe more than being a friend." 

Ashe's lips parted and let out a sharp gasp.

"Ashe I am knowing of your true feelings, even if you are not speaking them to me." Her heartbeat rang louder in her chest, when Ashe's eyes widened, connecting the dots in his mind.

"Wait. Y-you know? That I... you know," Ashe coughed into his elbow, a good excuse to look away from her, Petra noted. "It's not weird, is it? That I like you? Even if we're in different houses, or that we live so far away, or..."

Petra pressed a finger to Ashe's lips again. "No. I was not sure of it, but I wished to know for myself. Do not have fear, Ashe. It is not weird, and I am not minding. After all, courting is something that is taking some time in Fodlan tradition, is it not?" Petra smiled shyly. She knew the opportunity had finally presented itself and embraced it with full force.

Petra moved the box to the side, Ashe's present went forgotten when she found herself unable to look away from Ashe, from his freckles that dotted his face like the stars in Brigid's night sky and deep sea-green eyes she could get lost in forever.

She leaned up to him and Ashe down to her, and their lips met for but a few moments, slightly chapped yet still soft. Petra pulled away, and both stared at each other in a daze, hardly comprehending what happened; their first kiss was light and chaste and filled them with a warmth neither wanted to go away.

Perhaps, she realised, as she leaned over towards him and her hands pulled on his shirt, and a shaky hand cupped her cheek, why his sincerity, compassion, eagerness to help others and learn about her culture had struck her in the way it did. 

But she didn't need him to learn how to speak her language, learn about her culture or receive a dagger from him for her feelings to remain true.

Ashe initiated the second kiss and leaned down towards Petra. His hand gently caressed her cheek, and her hand gingerly ran through his messy hair.

Because he always reminded her of home.

They pulled away a second time, and their foreheads rested on each other. 

Ashe grinned from ear to ear. "Happy birthday, Petra."

Petra mirrored his expression with a happy sigh to accompany it. "Thank you, Ashe."

**Author's Note:**

> Yay, only 3.1k words! Finally a fic only relatively short for once. Happy (belated) birthday, Petra!
> 
> Comments and kudos are appreciated!


End file.
